Join the Dougherty family for a good (or not-so-good) meal. We'll let you know which is which.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Add some zest to your life

This lemon cake is fabulous. It got some rave reviews last week when I made it for a family get-together in California. My brother-in-law even said he'd like me to make it for his birthday and mail it to him. I'm sure it would look quite appealing after that. Anyway, you've got to try it. It's a great summertime dessert. It's moist and tangy, and the frosting is divine. The whole thing tastes like lemonade. Once again, I adapted the recipe from one at My Kitchen Cafe.

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into greased pan/pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. You don't want to overbake or the cake will be dry. Just watch it, and as soon as a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean, you're good to go. Cool completely before frosting.

Beat 4 c. powdered sugar into butter. Add juice and zest, then mix until creamy. Add powdered sugar until you reach desired stiffness. It is fabulous with a light, whipped texture, but you need it to be stiff if you are frosting a layer cake or else the top layer will slide off. Garnish as desired. Serve either at room temperature or chilled.